What is Zoism – The definition of Zoism

Zoism is a religion whose name draws meaning from the related Greek root words zoe and zo which mean life and animal respectively. These roots impress the importance of both the spiritual and physical nature of life to the Zoist.

Our religious practices are built on five core pillars which help us build lives imbued with love for the spiritual and physical world. Through these core practices we are able to live a humble and happy life:

Each of these pillars is explained in more detail on the Zoism.org website.

Zoism is an organic, growing, “open source religion” which means that our systems of beliefs, practices and related canon grows through a continuous process of refinement based on life experience of practitioners and other enlightened people. Zoism is based on real life experiences and not on myth or ancient stories.

Beware of outdated definitions of zoism:

A Google search for Zoism will result mostly in links to legacy definitions which are more than 100 years old.

A majority of dictionaries and encyclopedias relate zoism to a doctrine by a French philosopher and writer named Henri Bergson. In the late 1800s and early 1900s Henri proposedthat the phenomena of life are due to a peculiar vital principle or spark (élan vital) that creatively drives evolution and growth of living organisms. Henri’s intent was to bridge the gap between metaphysics and science but his beliefs did not stand up well to the discoveries of modern genetic science.

Several books have also been written that prove their own legacy definitions ofzoism:

The Zoist: A Journal of Cerebral Physiology & Mesmerism, and Their Applications to Human Welfare, was a British journal published quarterly between March 1843 until January 1856.

Zoism : the new religion of magnetic healing : a manual of instruction for all healers. Published by the Chicago : Psychic Research Company, 1900.

Zoism: A Course of Instruction in the Philosophy and Practice of the Higher Mental Science for the Attainment of Health, Happiness and Spiritual Peace. Published by the Psychic Research Company, 1901.